What is the Solution for Missing Girls in DC?

It was a few weeks after the “Women’s March” on Washington, that DC would gain more worldwide attention.  This time, not for more marching measures, moreover to aid in #MISSINGGIRLSDC.  One of the biggest social media pushes to date.  Not to mention, no concrete information came across social media threads as to how the girls went missing.  However, many social media memes posted questioned the “Amber Alert” system.  And if perhaps, because of the girls ethnicity, maybe no mechanism for alerting when black girls go missing.  Some reports surfaced that the girls were “runaways.”

Why now?

No matter the reason for a child going missing, they deserve the proper resources to aid in their search.  If only Mayor Bowser’s Administration would have thought of that innovative idea when Relisha Rudd went missing from DC General Hospital Shelter, she would probably be here.  Nonetheless, Mayor Bowser says “One missing young person, is one too many, and these new initiatives will help us do more to find and protect young people, particularly young girls of color, across our city.”

“Through social media, we have been able to highlight this problem and bring awareness to open cases, and now we are doing more to ensure that families and children are receiving the wraparound services they need to keep families together and children safe.” 

The Bowser Administration has announced six initiatives to combat the issue of missing youth, beginning with increasing the number of MPD officers assigned to Child and Family Services Division.  Expansion of the MPD Missing Persons webpage and social media messaging to include case catalog with broader information.  Next would be to established the Missing Persons Evaluation and Reconnection Resource Collaborative, with OVSJG and CFSA Leading Working Group.  DMHHS and OVSJG additional grant support for non-profits addressing runaway youth.  The final initiative is a PSA to support public education addressing Missing Youth in DC.